Return of the "stack of doom"

[Zumwalt_446]

I know the Kyiv convoy happened in 2022, but these stacks (from the Neckar Line scenario, playing as NATO) seem excessive even with that in mind. See below for a few snapshots (10+ units in most cases, leading to graphics being partially/improperly overlaid as the game goes through the stack for damage checks and firing events). I'm questioning whether all of those units could physically fit into a 500 m hex

Not that I'm complaining - these make excellent targets for artillery/mortar fire. But it seems that something previously preventing this from occurring may have been removed or changed in the latest update.

[CapnDarwin]

That's not great and you may be right about a code break somewhere. I'll get folks looking at this ASAP.

[Zumwalt_446]

Saves attached for a few of the turns where this occurred. The stacking here is occurring in hexes with heavy obstacles/mines, which are likely contributing to the other factors causing this situation.

[CapnDarwin]

Thanks for the save.

[Zumwalt_446]

To me, it seems the issue is not so much the stacking per se (after all, a properly placed obstacle/mine laydown can very well canalize an attack and cause attackers to clump up or converge on a single point). The main problem appears to be that the rear-echelon units (mortars, command/HQ, air defense) continue advancing even when the advance stalls. So they all end up at the front instead of the rear units remaining well behind the main-line ones (armored / mech).

A secondary issue is that all of the frontline units engage the first enemy they encounter, rather than attempting to bypass those units and leaving a portion of the attacking force to contain the bypassed defenders. I've brought this up before, but I understand that bypass logic can be fairly complex to implement.

One fix for the first issue could be to add logic (if not already included) for rear units to maintain a configurable or fixed distance from the line of contact. This would account for situations like this one where an advance stalls (which can be especially troublesome with the typically longer WP Command cycle).